Supporting device for lighting fixtures



vDec. 30, 1947. K. R. SCRIBNER I SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR LIGHTING' FIX' I'UBES Filed May 25, 1945 Fig. 5

INVENTOR. K NNETH R. 3(1RIBNE I2'\ ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR LIGHTING FIXTURES Kenneth R. Scribner, Ipswich, Mass, assignor to Sylvania' Electric Products Inc., Salem, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 23, 1945, Serial No. 595,346

2 Claims.

This invention relates to electric lighting fixtures and particularly to means for mounting them upon a support.

The invention is especially adaptable to fixtures for tubular fluorescent lamps. Fixtures of this type are rather large and consequently difficult to manipulate when installing. In many cases it requires the services of more than one man to put up a fixture particularly in a relatively high location. It is an object of the present invention to provide means for facilitating the installation of fixtures for tubular lamps.

A further object of the invention is to provide a emall compact fixture retaining unit to be rigidly attached to the supporting surface and upon which the completely assembled fixture is detachably hung in operative position.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a fixture and supporting unit which is low in cost and effective in operation.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention consists essentially of a rigid plate having a plurality of depending tab portions extending along the sides of the fixture to be installed. The plate is provided with means for securing it either flush upon the attaching surface or upon a pendant mounting device.

The tabs are provided with means for interlocking with coacting means upon the fixture to constitute an attaching assembly. Desirably the tabs are provided with horizontal slots which permit projecting studs or screws upon the fixture to enter an interlocking notch at the inner ends of the slots.

Thus the completely assembled and wired fixture may be installed by raising it into a position with the studs thereon adjacent the slots and then moving the fixture to thread the studs through the slots into the locking notches thereby readily and securely mounting the fixture in its operating position.

To present a better understanding of the invention a particular embodiment thereof will now be described and illustrated in the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a fixture embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the fixture supporting element detached from the fixture;

Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view through the fixture and support; and

Fig. 4 is a detail section through the fixture 2 and supporting means showing a different form of interlocking means.

The invention is particularly adapted to mounting fixtures such as those used for elongated discharge type lamps and is herein shown as applied to a two lamp fluorescent fixture of conventional type having a reflector 6 and body or chassis I. 1

A supporting member 8 of special construction if provided having a substantially fiat body member 53 and downwardly projecting members In which may extend for'the full length thereof or may be in the form of tabs as shown in the drawings. The tabs ll! are desirably spaced apart laterally to embrace the sides of the fixture chassis l. The body portion 9 may be completely flat or its central portion may be disposed in the attaching plane thereof while its side portions ll may be slightly offset downwardly from that plane as illustrated herein.

The tabs II] are provided with means for interlocking with cooperating means upon the fixture. Such means may desirably take the form of horizontal slots l2 in the tabs II) which terminate in an interlocking notch [3.

The fixture 5 is provided with studs l4 projecting outwardly from the side of the fixture chassis l- The studs [4 desirably are provided with heads [5 which are welded or otherwise secured to the inner face of the chassis wall. The studs are properly positioned in the chassis to engage the slots [2 when the fixture is installed in its operating position a procedure which will be described hereinafter.

The member 8 is provided with the necessary openings 16 by means of which it may b pendant mounted as by means of the mounting stems l1 shown in Figure 2, which are secured to the member 8 in the conventional manner as by means of nuts [8' threaded upon the stems. In this type of mounting the power feeding wires are led through the stems in the usual manner and thence into the fixture chassis.

The member 8 is also provided with small openings [9 to receive fastening means such as the screws 20 when the device is to be mounted flush upon the supporting surface 2| as shown in Figure 3. In flush mounting one or more of the openings l6 may be used to provide for threading the power supply leads from the fixture chassis to the power mains.

Prior to the installation the fixture is completely'assembled with its auxiliary elements in proper position and wired. The supporting member 8 is secured in the desired location either by flush the notches E3 and thus it is held firmly in.position and is ready for use. The whole installation operation may be executed by one man and in a restricted space if necessary.

In place of the studs i4 screws 22 may be used as shown in Figure 4. Desirably when screws are used a threaded sleeve or nut 23'is weldedor otherwise secured to the inner Wall of the chassis 1 for each screw. The sleeves 23 provide a reinforcement for the unionbetween the screw and the chassis Wall. Furthermore, When the fixture has been properly put in its operating position, as above described; the-screws may be'tightened to make the fixture more secure. It is obvious also. that the fixture may as readily be taken down for repair, renewa'l'or for any other reason.

What I'claim is:

1. In combination an electric lighting fixture having an elongated generally. rectangular chassis anda supporting unit therefor, said unit comprising a substantially fiat horizontal body portion having a plurality of. depending fixture supporting tabs laterally spaced to embrace the fixture and extending in spaced relation along the side walls thereof, means for rigidly securing said unit to a supporting surface, apertures in said tabs and projections on the fixture interengaging with said apertures to secure the fixture in operating position whereby the fixture may be readily installed subsequently to fixing said supporting unit upon the supporting surface.

' 2. In combination an electric lighting fixture having an elongated substantially rectangular chassis and a supporting unit therefor, said unit comprising the sole support for the fixture and extending for a substantial distance along said fixture chassis, means for detachably securing the fixture to the supporting plate including supporting studs projecting from said fixture chassis, supporting panels projecting downward from said support plate and having apertures therein to receive said studs and slots in said panels to permit said studs to enter the apertures edgewise of the support panels.

KENNETH R. SCRIBNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,368,239 Cohn Feb. 15, 1921 2,347,113 King Apr. 18, 1944 

